On 01/08/2013 04:27 PM, mark wrote:
>> On Jul 2, 2012, at 7:57 PM, Richard Elling wrote:
>>
>> FYI, HP also sells an 8-port IT-style HBA (SC-08Ge), but it is hard to
>> locate
>> with their configurators. There might be a more modern equivalent cleverly
>> hidden somewhere difficult to find.
>> -- richard
>>
>
> Richard,
>
> Do you know if the HBAs in HP controllers be swapped out with any well
> characterized (by nexenta) HBAs like the 9211-8e or do they require a
> specific
> 'controller HBA' like the SC-08Ge? IE, does it void the warranty if you open
> up
> the controller and stick a third party card in there? Did you ever try to
> 'bypass' the controllers at all and just plug into an expander? I prefer HP
> hardware also but the controller is getting in the way.
>
> Ill be asking HP the same questions in the next few weeks with any luck but
> your
> opinion and experiences are on another level compared to HPs pre-sales
> department... not that theyre bad but in this realm youre the man :)

Advertising

I know you didn't ask me, but I can tell you my experience: it depends
on what you mean by "warranty". If you mean as in "warranty on sales of
goods" (as mandated by law), then no, sticking a different HBA in your
servers does not void your warranty (unless this is expressly labeled on
the product - manufacturers typically also put protective labels on
screws then).
When it comes to support services, though, such as phone support and
firmware updates, then yes, using a third-party HBA can make these
difficult and/or impossible. HP storage enclosure and drive firmware,
for example, can only be flashed through an HP-branded SmartArray card.
Depending on what software you are running on the machines it can make
no difference at all, or a lot of difference. For instance, if you're
running proprietary storage controller software on the server (think
something like NexentaStor, but from the HW vendor), then your custom
HBA might simply be flat out unsupported and the only response you'll
get from the vendor support team is "stick the card we shipped it with
back in". OTOH if you're running something not HW vendor-specific (like
the aforementioned NexentaStor, or any other Illumos variant), and the
HW vendor at least gives lip service to supporting your platform (always
tell the support folk you're running "Solaris"), then chances are that
your support contract will be just as valid as before. I've had drives
fail on Dell machines and each time support was happy when I just told
them "drive dead, running Solaris, here's the log output, send a new one
please".
Cheers,
--
Saso
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